Antioch: Famed police K9 Thor passes away

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Antioch Police Officer Matt Harger walks in with K-9 officer Thor, 10, who sports one of the new custom-fitted bullet and puncture-proof vests that were given to the four police dogs at a press conference held at Antioch Police Department on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, in Antioch, Calif. The vests are a gift from a Bay Area nonprofit and Pet Food Express. Last August Thor was shot in the shoulder by a robbery suspect and would not have suffered a bullet wound if he had been wearing a vest, according to Harger. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Staff Archives)

ANTIOCH — On the final day of 2014, the Antioch Police Department announced with a heavy heart that famed K9, Thor, passed away Dec. 30. He was 14.

Described on the department’s Facebook page as a “truly epic working dog,” Thor was known for his heroism while serving the city of Antioch between 2002 and 2012. He was shot once in the neck in 2010 while helping to capture 29-year-old suspect Christopher Miguel Johnson, who had opened fire on officers during an interrupted home burglary.

Though wounded, Thor held onto Johnson while officers returned fire, killing the suspect who had an already extensive criminal history.

“This is the utmost demand for a police dog, and that night, without a doubt, Thor saved our lives,” Antioch police Officer Matt Harger said in a statement on the department’s Facebook page. “There is no other story that can top that.”

Thor, who received a Purple Heart Award for his bravery that day, was also responsible for hundreds of arrests and suspect surrenders, dozens of narcotic finds and more than 40 apprehensions of suspects, according to Antioch police.

In addition to being shot, while on duty, Thor was run over on Highway 4 while attempting to catch a suspect who had just been involved in a shooting. He was also run over while in the middle of apprehending a car thief who had fled from police.

A Belgian Malinois, Thor was born Dec. 14, 2000, and brought home by Harger when he was just 7 weeks old. Thor joined the Antioch Police Department in September 2002 and retired in December 2012.

“Thor was truly an amazing K9 with 9 lives & a lot of heart,” the Antioch Police Department stated. “We have lost an iconic police dog who spent a decade serving his community, saving the lives of officers (and) taking some of the toughest felons off the streets.”

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